So how many newspaper, radio, television, and movie companies does George Soros control?
Lonnie Courtney Clay On Tuesday, April 23, 2013 8:15:39 AM UTC-7, nominal9 wrote: > > PS... Speaking of papers and news and such.... did you hear about this > story? > I'm guessing "someone" HARaround here might like it.... but it scares the > bejeesus out of me.....What is it with the likes of Rupert and now these > guys.... do they think that if they buy the "brand-name" they automatically > get to give their contrary views that earned "stature"?.....If they want > to spread their conservative views they should found their own independent > papers... like, say, the Podunk Pundit.... or the Kalamazoo Krackpot... or > the Tuscaloosa Goose-a....HAR..... > > > http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/21/business/media/koch-brothers-making-play-for-tribunes-newspapers.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0 > > Conservative Koch Brothers Turning Focus to Newspapers > Tannen Maury/European Pressphoto Agency > > Tribune’s newspapers, including The Chicago Tribune, have caught the > interest of a number of suitors. > By AMY > CHOZICK<http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/c/amy_chozick/index.html> > Published: > April 20, 2013 728 > Comments<http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/21/business/media/koch-brothers-making-play-for-tribunes-newspapers.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0#commentsContainer> > > > - Facebook > - Twitter > - Google+ > - Save > - E-mail > - Share > - > Print<http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/21/business/media/koch-brothers-making-play-for-tribunes-newspapers.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0&pagewanted=print> > - Reprints > - > <http://www.nytimes.com/adx/bin/adx_click.html?type=goto&opzn&page=www.nytimes.com/yr/mo/day&pos=Frame4A&sn2=72270860/53be7632&sn1=2ed52e0c/2bf6fc44&camp=FSL2013_ArticleTools_120x60_1849316b_nyt5&ad=Trance_120x60_April5&goto=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Efoxsearchlight%2Ecom%2Ftrance> > > Three years ago, Charles and David Koch, the billionaire industrialists > and supporters of libertarian causes, held a seminar of like-minded, > wealthy political donors at the St. Regis Resort in Aspen, Colo. They laid > out a three-pronged, 10-year strategy to shift the country toward a smaller > government with less regulation and taxes. > Enlarge This Image > Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images > > The Los Angeles Times is the fourth-largest paper in the country. > Enlarge This Image > Brendan Mcdermid/Reuters > > David H. Koch > Enlarge This Image > Mike Burley/Topeka Capital-Journal via Associated Press > > Charles G. Koch > Enlarge This Image > Monica Almeida/The New York Times > > Eli Broad > Enlarge This Image > Chester Higgins Jr./The New York Times > > Ronald W. Burkle > Enlarge This Image > Danny Moloshok/Reuters > > Rupert Murdoch > Readers’ Comments > > Readers shared their thoughts on this article. > > > - Read All Comments (728) > »<http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/21/business/media/koch-brothers-making-play-for-tribunes-newspapers.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0#comments> > > The first two pieces of the strategy — educating grass-roots activists > and influencing politics — were not surprising, given the money they have > given to policy institutes and political action groups. But the third one > was: media. > > Other than financing a few fringe libertarian publications, the Kochs have > mostly avoided media investments. Now, Koch Industries, the sprawling > private company of which Charles G. > Koch<http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/k/charles_g_koch/index.html?inline=nyt-per>serves > as chairman and chief executive, is exploring a bid to buy the Tribune > Company<http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/business/companies/tribune_company/index.html?inline=nyt-org>’s > > eight regional newspapers, including The Los Angeles Times, The Chicago > Tribune, The Baltimore Sun, The Orlando Sentinel and The Hartford Courant. > > By early May, the Tribune Company is expected to send financial data to > serious suitors in what will be among the largest sales of newspapers by > circulation in the country. Koch Industries is among those interested, said > several people with direct knowledge of the sale who spoke on the condition > they not be named. Tribune emerged from bankruptcy on Dec. 31 and has hired > JPMorgan Chase and Evercore Partners to sell its print properties. > > The papers, valued at roughly $623 million, would be a financially > diminutive deal for Koch Industries, the energy and manufacturing > conglomerate based in Wichita, Kan., with annual revenue of about $115 > billion. > > Politically, however, the papers could serve as a broader platform for the > Kochs’ laissez-faire ideas. The Los Angeles Times is the fourth-largest > paper in the country, and The Tribune is No. 9, and others are in several > battleground states, including two of the largest newspapers in Florida, > The Orlando Sentinel and The Sun Sentinel in Fort Lauderdale. A deal could > include Hoy, the second-largest Spanish-language daily newspaper, which > speaks to the pivotal Hispanic demographic. > > One person who attended the Aspen seminar who spoke on the condition of > anonymity described the strategy as follows: “It was never ‘How do we > destroy the other side?’ ” > > “It was ‘How do we make sure our voice is being heard?’ ” > > Guests at the Aspen seminar included Philip F. Anschutz, the Republican > oil mogul who owns the companies that publish The Washington Examiner, The > Oklahoman and The Weekly Standard, and the hedge fund executive Paul E. > Singer, who sits on the board of the political magazine Commentary. > Attendees were asked not to discuss details about the seminar with the > press. > > A person who has attended other Koch Industries seminars, which have taken > place since 2003, says Charles and David Koch have never said they want to > take over newspapers or other large media outlets, but they often say “they > see the conservative voice as not being well represented.” The Kochs plan > to host another conference at the end of the month, in Palm Springs, Calif. > > At this early stage, the thinking inside the Tribune Company, the people > close to the deal said, is that Koch Industries could prove the most > appealing buyer. Others interested, including a group of wealthy Los > Angeles residents led by the billionaire Eli > Broad<http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/b/eli_broad/index.html?inline=nyt-per>and > Ronald W. Burkle, both prominent Democratic donors, and Rupert > Murdoch’s News Corporation, would prefer to buy only The Los Angeles Times. > > The Tribune Company has signaled it prefers to sell all eight papers and > their back-office operations as a bundle. (Tribune, a $7 billion media > company that also owns 23 television stations, could also decide to keep > the papers if they do not attract a high enough offer.) > > Koch Industries is one of the largest sponsors of libertarian causes — > including the financing of policy groups like the Cato Institute in > Washington and the formation of Americans for Prosperity, the political > action group that helped galvanize Tea > Party<http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/subjects/t/tea_party_movement/index.html?inline=nyt-classifier>organizations > and their causes. The company has said it has no direct link > to the Tea Party. > > This month a Koch representative contacted Eddy W. Hartenstein, publisher > and chief executive of The Los Angeles Times, to discuss a bid, according > to a person briefed on the conversation who spoke on the condition of > anonymity because the conversation was private. Mr. Hartenstein declined to > comment. > > Koch Industries recently brought on Angela Redding, a consultant based in > Salt Lake City, to analyze the media environment and assess opportunities. > Ms. Redding, who previously worked at the Charles G. Koch Charitable > Foundation, did not respond to requests for comment. > > “As an entrepreneurial company with 60,000 employees around the world, we > are constantly exploring profitable opportunities in many industries and > sectors. So, it is natural that our name would come up in connection with > this rumor,” Melissa Cohlmia, a spokeswoman for Koch Companies Public > Sector, said in a statement last month. > > “We respect the independence of the journalistic institutions referenced > in the news stories,” Ms. Cohlmia continued. “But it is our longstanding > policy not to comment on deals or rumors of deals we may or may not be > exploring.” > > One person who has previously advised Koch Industries said the Tribune > Company papers were considered an investment opportunity, and were viewed > as entirely separate from Charles and David Kochs’ lifelong mission to > shrink the size of government. > > At least in politically liberal Los Angeles, a conservative paper could be > tricky. David H. > Koch<http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/k/david_h_koch/index.html?inline=nyt-per>, > > who lives in New York and serves as executive vice president of Koch > Industries, has said he supports gay marriage and could align with many > residents on some social issues, Reed Galen, a Republican consultant in > Orange County, Calif., said. > > Koch Industries’ main competitor for The Los Angeles Times is a group of > mostly Democratic local residents. In the 2012 political cycle, Mr. Broad > gave $477,800, either directly or through his foundation, to Democratic > candidates and causes, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. Mr. > Burkle has long championed labor unions. President Bill Clinton served as > an adviser to Mr. Burkle’s money management firm, Yucaipa Companies, which > in 2012 gave $107,500 to Democrats and related causes. The group also > includes Austin Beutner, a Democratic candidate for mayor of Los Angeles, > and an investment banker who co-founded Evercore Partners. > > “This will be a bipartisan group,” Mr. Beutner said. “It’s not about > ideology, it’s about a civic interest.” (The Los Angeles consortium is > expected to also include Andrew Cherng, founder of the Panda Express > Chinese restaurant chain and a Republican.) > > “It’s a frightening scenario when a free press is actually a bought and > paid-for press and it can happen on both sides,” said Ellen Miller, > executive director of the Sunlight Foundation, a nonpartisan watchdog > group. > > Last month, shortly after L.A. Weekly first reported on Koch Industries’ > interest in the Tribune papers, the liberal Web site Daily Kos and Courage > Campaign, a Los Angeles-based liberal advocacy group, collected thousands > of signatures protesting such a deal. Conservatives, meanwhile, welcomed > the idea of a handful of prominent papers spreading the ideas of economic > “freedom” from taxes and regulation that the Kochs have championed. > > Seton Motley, president of Less Government, an organization devoted to > shrinking the role of the government, said the 2012 presidential election > reinforced the view that conservatives needed a broader media presence. > > “A running joke among conservatives as we watched the G.O.P. establishment > spend $500 million on ineffectual TV ads is ‘Why don’t you just buy NBC?’ ” > Mr. Motley said. “It’s good the Kochs are talking about fighting fire with > a little fire.” > > Koch Industries has for years felt the mainstream media unfairly covered > the company and its founding family because of its political beliefs. > KochFacts.com, a Web site run by the company, disputes perceived press > inaccuracies. The site, which asserts liberal bias in the news media, has > published private e-mail conversations between company press officers and > journalists, including the Politico reporter Kenneth P. Vogel and editors > at The New Yorker in response to an article about the Kochs by Jane Mayer. > > “So far, they haven’t seemed to be particularly enthusiastic about the > role of the free press,” Ms. Mayer said in an e-mail, “but hopefully, if > they become newspaper publishers, they’ll embrace it with a bit more > enthusiasm.” > > A Democratic political operative who spoke on the condition of anonymity, > said he admired how over decades the brothers have assembled a complex > political infrastructure that supports their agenda. A media company seems > like a logical next step. > > This person said, “If they get some bad press that Darth Vader is buying > Tribune, they don’t care.” > > Michael J. de la Merced contributed reporting. > A version of this article appeared in print on April 21, 2013, on > page A1 of the New York edition with the headline: Conservative Koch > Brothers Turning Focus to Newspapers. > > > On Monday, April 22, 2013 6:41:55 PM UTC-4, nominal9 wrote: >> >> shining knight of news reporting...?....the printed press is usually >> better at both hard news and opinion....though there are some stinkers >> there, too....I like the Christian Science Monitor, usually.... and, you >> may not like it but the NYTimes is usually spot on as to the facts in their >> hard news, although you may not agree with some of their "conclusions" >> slant....I like English Press, too... BBC, Guardian, Daily Mail for soft >> news... but there too the "conclusion" slant is "left"... otherwise spot on >> factually most of the time....Bloomerg, Reuters, AP mostly good to go... >> Wall Street Journal... not so much since "Rupert" took it over.... >> >> CNN. too far right for me.... and MSNBC... not left enough.... HAR... >> >> On Monday, April 22, 2013 11:53:53 AM UTC-4, Lonnie Clay wrote: >>> >>> So where's the shining knight of news reporting? It's certainly not >>> CNN... >>> Lonnie Courtney Clay >>> >>> On Monday, April 22, 2013 7:49:14 AM UTC-7, nominal9 wrote: >>>> >>>> See, Lonnie?.... this is the Fox I know and deride....HAR >>>> >>>> http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-04-22/news-corp-agrees-to-139-million-investor-suit-accord.html >>>> >>>> News Corp. Agrees to $139 Million Investor-Suit Accord >>>> By Jef Feeley - Apr 22, 2013 9:53 AM ET >>>> >>>> - Facebook >>>> Share<http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fbloom.bg%2F17dGtii&t=News+Corp.+Agrees+to+%24139+Million+Investor-Suit+Accord> >>>> >>>> - >>>> - >>>> LinkedIn<http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-04-22/news-corp-agrees-to-139-million-investor-suit-accord.html&title=News%20Corp.%20Agrees%20to%20%24139%20Million%20Investor-Suit%20Accord&summary=News%20Corp.%E2%80%99s%20directors%20agreed%20to%20a%0A%24139%20million%20settlement%20of%20investors%E2%80%99%20claims%20that%20they%20turned%20a%0Ablind%20eye%20to%20illegal%20conduct%20at%20the%20media%20company%2C%20including%0Aphone%20hacking%20by%20employees.&source=Bloomberg.com> >>>> >>>> - Google >>>> +1<https://plus.google.com/share?hl=en&url=http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-04-22/news-corp-agrees-to-139-million-investor-suit-accord.html> >>>> >>>> - 0 >>>> Comments<http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-04-22/news-corp-agrees-to-139-million-investor-suit-accord.html#disqus_thread> >>>> >>>> - >>>> - >>>> Print<http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2013-04-22/news-corp-agrees-to-139-million-investor-suit-accord.html> >>>> >>>> - QUEUE >>>> Q >>>> >>>> News Corp. (NWS) <http://www.bloomberg.com/quote/NWS:US>’s directors >>>> agreed to a $139 million settlement of investors’ claims that they turned >>>> a >>>> blind eye to illegal conduct at the media company, including phone hacking >>>> by employees. >>>> >>>> Insurance covering News Corp.’s >>>> board<http://www.bloomberg.com/quote/NWS:US>, >>>> including Chairman Rupert >>>> Murdoch<http://topics.bloomberg.com/rupert-murdoch/>, >>>> will fund the settlement of >>>> lawsuits<http://www.bloomberg.com/quote/NWS:US>seeking to hold directors >>>> accountable for the scandal sparked by the >>>> exposure and attempted cover-up of illegal reporting tactics used by some >>>> News Corp. journalists in the U.K., according to a statement today by the >>>> company and shareholders who sued. The money will go into the company’s >>>> coffers rather than to individual investors. >>>> [image: Rupert Murdoch: $12 Billion Net Worth at Age 82] >>>> 0:39 >>>> <http://www.bloomberg.com/video/rupert-murdoch-12-billion-net-worth-at-age-82-TsliYh7ZQD%7Ece4w7r3%7EtYw.html> >>>> >>>> >>>> April 18 (Bloomberg) - Bloomberg's Betty Liu profiles News Corp. >>>> chairman Rupert Murdoch and the power he holds in the media industry. >>>> >>>> As part of the settlement, News Corp. officials agreed to tighten >>>> oversight of the company’s operations and set up an anonymous >>>> whistle-blower’s hotline for tips about misconduct, according to Delaware >>>> Chancery Court filings. Shareholders who sued alleged the board’s lax >>>> oversight allowed wrongdoing to flourish at the company and harmed its >>>> stock price. >>>> >>>> “As a condition of the settlement, these enhancements will be adopted >>>> by both companies that emerge from the” split of New York-based News Corp. >>>> into two public companies, officials said in the statement. >>>> Largest Accord >>>> >>>> The settlement is the largest ever reached in a so-called derivative >>>> lawsuit in Delaware Chancery Court, said Jay >>>> Eisenhofer<http://topics.bloomberg.com/jay-eisenhofer/>, >>>> a lawyer for one of the suing shareholders, Amalgamated Bank. Eisenhofer >>>> is >>>> a partner at Wilmington, Delaware-based Grant & Eisenhofer. >>>> >>>> “We are proud of this historic settlement, which continues the >>>> 20-year-history of Amalgamated Bank encouraging corporate reform and >>>> improved corporate governance,” Edward Grebow, the bank’s president, said >>>> in a statement. Amalgamated Bank’s LongView Funds hold more than 455,000 >>>> News Corp. shares, according to the statement. >>>> >>>> News Corp. agreed last year to separate slower-growing publishing >>>> assets from its Fox television and film businesses after coming under >>>> pressure from shareholders. Murdoch will remain chief executive officer of >>>> the Fox side, News Corp. said. >>>> >>>> “We are pleased to have resolved this matter,” Nathaniel Brown, a News >>>> Corp. spokesman, said in an e-mailed statement. >>>> Hacking Arrests >>>> >>>> Today’s settlement is part of News Corp.’s push to move past the >>>> scandal over some journalists’ illegal reporting tactics and allegations >>>> that company executives covered up the practices. About 80 people have >>>> been >>>> arrested in connection with criminal probes, including Rebekah Brooks, the >>>> head of News Corp.’s U.K. publisher. >>>> >>>> News Corp. journalists are accused of hacking mobile-phone messages of >>>> more than 600 people, including U.S. actors Brad >>>> Pitt<http://topics.bloomberg.com/brad-pitt/>and Angelina >>>> Jolie <http://topics.bloomberg.com/angelina-jolie/>, soccer player Wayne >>>> Rooney <http://topics.bloomberg.com/wayne-rooney/> and murdered >>>> British schoolgirl Milly >>>> Dowler<http://www.cnn.com/2012/11/28/world/europe/milly-dowler-profile>. >>>> >>>> >>>> Last week, British prosecutors said the top editor of News Corp.’s Sun >>>> tabloid newspaper will be charged with authorizing bribes to public >>>> officials. >>>> >>>> Fergus Shanahan approved payments totaling 7,000 pounds ($10,600) to a >>>> public official in exchange for information between 2006 and 2007, >>>> according to a statement from the Crown Prosecution >>>> Service<http://topics.bloomberg.com/crown-prosecution-service/>. >>>> The bribes were uncovered as part of the hacking-scandal probe, >>>> prosecutors >>>> said. >>>> >>>> British lawmakers last year concluded Murdoch wasn’t “a fit person” to >>>> lead a major international company after finding News Corp. officials >>>> misled Parliament about the extent of phone hacking at the News of the >>>> World tabloid newspaper, which was closed in the wake of the scandal. >>>> ‘Blind Eye’ >>>> >>>> Murdoch “turned a blind eye and exhibited willful blindness to what was >>>> going on in his companies,” the House of Commons Culture Committee said in >>>> its report. News Corp. (NWSA) >>>> <http://www.bloomberg.com/quote/NWSA:US>directors countered that they >>>> maintained “full confidence” in Murdoch’s >>>> ability to lead the media company. >>>> >>>> Amalgamated Bank, based in New >>>> York<http://topics.bloomberg.com/new-york/>, >>>> and a Louisiana pension fund claimed in a lawsuit that some board members >>>> knew as early as 2009 that company reporters in >>>> England<http://topics.bloomberg.com/england/>routinely hacked into phones >>>> and bribed British police for stories. >>>> >>>> Still, directors refused to seriously probe claims of illegal reporting >>>> tactics for fear of angering Murdoch and his children who serve as News >>>> Corp. executives, lawyers for the City of New Orleans Employees Retirement >>>> System and Amalgamated Bank said in court filings. >>>> >>>> At a hearing last year before Chancery Court Judge John Noble in Dover, >>>> Delaware <http://topics.bloomberg.com/delaware/>, News Corp.’s lawyers >>>> disputed investors’ claims that board members participated in a cover-up >>>> because they were beholden to Murdoch and his family. >>>> ‘Evidence Shows’ >>>> >>>> “Rather than ignoring and covering up these matters, the evidence shows >>>> the board” moved to address the scandal quickly and openly, Gregory >>>> Varallo, a News Corp. attorney, told Noble. The judge had been deciding >>>> whether the case could proceed when it was resolved. >>>> >>>> News Corp. shareholders originally sued over the $675 million purchase >>>> of a U.K.-based television production company owned by Murdoch’s daughter, >>>> Elisabeth. They later amended their suit to focus on the phone-hacking >>>> scandal. >>>> >>>> “When institutional investors work constructively to improve corporate >>>> governance practices, good things happen,” Mark >>>> Lebovitch<http://topics.bloomberg.com/mark-lebovitch/>, >>>> a New York-based lawyer who represented the New Orleans pension fund, said >>>> in an e-mailed statement. >>>> >>>> The case is In re News Corp. Shareholder Derivative Litigation, CA >>>> 6285, Delaware Chancery Court (Wilmington). >>>> >>>> To contact the reporter on this story: Jef Feeley in Wilmington, >>>> Delaware at jfe...@bloomberg.net >>>> To contact the editor responsible for this story: Michael Hytha at >>>> mhy...@bloomberg.net >>> >>> -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Epistemology" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to epistemology+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To post to this group, send email to epistemology@googlegroups.com. Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/epistemology?hl=en. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.
